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If a person were to be a created, a virtual reality person (such as a character in a Sims game, that "reacts" and "grows"), and this person was "downloaded" into an actual body, is that person considered "real?" Were they real before the download, or is a physical body part of the conception of real? Would you even be considered a legitimate person, since all of your "memories" could be considered "fake"?

October 28, 2008

Response from Richard Heck on November 13, 2008
I have no views about this question at all. But I did recently hear the philosophy David Velleman read a paper on a very similar question. I think it's this one.
Response from William Rapaport on November 13, 2008

Downloading such an avatar, assuming it were possible, would probably not result in a "real" person because such an avatar would doubtless be less "complete" than a real person. There are two other discussions besides Velleman's that you might find interesting:

Pollock, John L. (2008), "What Am I? Virtual machines and the mind/body problem", Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 76(2):237-309, online at http://oscarhome.soc-sci.arizona.edu/ftp/PAPERS/Virtual-machines.pdf

and a terrific science-fiction novel by a philosopher:

Leiber, Justin (1980), Beyond Rejection (Del Rey Books); out of print, but available on amazon.com


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